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Hot? Why Summer Heat Waves Make Us Grumpy

Got a case of grumpypants? Well, it is Monday, but experts say the nationwide heatwave could have something to do with it. Here's why...

Hot weather not only takes a toll on our bodies, it can make tempers flair, say experts. MSNBC asked Northwestern's Nancy Molitor about how and why this happens, and she says that hot weather does lead to hotheadedness. In fact, according to past research, hot, and especially humid, weather has been associated with bad moods, aggression and violence.

And, "trouble sleeping, dehydration and restrictions on our daily actives--such as being cooped up inside all day to avoid the sweltering heat--may all [also] contribute to a worsening mood in warm weather," MSNBC reports.

Aha--so that explains my grumpy mood yesterday! It was almost 90 degrees in my bedroom upstairs.